Chopped

There is so little on the regular channels, that I often opt for The Cooking Channel.  One of my favorite shows these days is Chopped.  For any who may not have seen it, Chopped is a cooking competition between chefs.  There is a mystery basket of ingredients and the chefs have to prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert with different, and often very strange ingredients for each one of those rounds.

A panel of judges taste the creations of the chefs and eliminate a chef in each of the three rounds, until they name the winner.

The Judges

In addition to the ingredients in the baskets, the chefs have access to a pantry and refrigerator of other ingredients, and a variety of tools.

It is usually a frantic battle, with the appetizers or entrees or desserts getting on the plate the very last second.

It is not so much the competition that I enjoy, but the creative challenge.  And it occurs to me that is probably why I love to cook.



And I indeed do enjoy cooking.  At this stage of our lives, I am only cooking for two,  but those two very much appreciate good, tasty, healthy food.

Cooking possibilities are infinite.  Never ending list of ingredients.  Countless spices and herbs.  Different cooking techniques--roasting, baking, grilling.  Limitless combinations. You can grow your own veggies, or shop at the farmer's market.  You can find endless ways to recycle leftovers.  Nutritional elements to consider.  Lots of bright colors.  Sauces.

I have finally mastered the cooking challenge of not buying so much produce that I have to throw some away.   The key to that is to under buy produce, and go back to the store to purchase one or two produce items during the week.  In the summer,  I make the trip to the farmer's stand for a lot of fresh corn and peaches!

If I had nothing else to do, I could entertain myself endlessly just cooking for two.  Cooking is a creative art.